The Morning-After Orange Fruit Soup

As I confessed in my memoir, dinner and dancing were my drugs of choice…that’s why I remember the Seventies so vividly. So my hangovers were mostly fatigue from burning the candle at both ends…and softening the ravages of my dates’ excesses. I don’t remember where I got the recipe for this refreshing and delicious fruit soup – always a waker-upper at my brunches for friends. If I stole it from you, please forgive me.

11⁄2 cups water

2 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca

1 tbsp. sugar

Pinch of salt

1⁄2 cup frozen concentrated orange juice

2 cups fruit (see below)

Mix the instant tapioca into water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a full boil. Remove from heat. Add sugar, salt, and orange juice concentrate. Stir to blend. Let cool for 15 minutes, then stir again. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Just before serving, fold in fruit. In winter, you can use orange sections with the membrane cut away, sliced bananas, half grapes (seeded), frozen and thawed peach slices, and the best berries you can find. In summer, you can choose a mix of sweet and tart summer fruit—plums, peaches, nectarines, and, most especially, berries. Don’t forget the banana.